The Last Night
by Cookiecat
Summary: A little one-shot songtext based story on issues like friendship, trust and loyalty... Set pre-'Ties of Fate'.


**THE LAST NIGHT  
**

_**Dedication: **This story was published for Xirel (a fellow deviant artist) on Deviant Art. Here on fan fiction, I would like to dedicate it once more to Ayarah Thorne: It's for you sweetie. Thanks for being such a friend!!!_

_**Explanation:** Well, this is a song fiction, a story 'wrapped' around a song._

_Those of you who have read more of my stories know that I'm a 'matching song to story' fanatic. My ideas for writing usually start as little movies on my mind. And as such, they often happen to have a soundtrack._

_If I feel that a song's lyrics and/or melody fit my writing really well, I will point them out to my readers (usually by quoting) to give them an insight into my weird mind ;)_

_Sometimes I come across a song I consider an 'epic match' to my words, a situation I usually find quite exciting, especially when it happens (as it often does) AFTER I wrote a certain scene…_

_After finishing "Ties of Fate", the main characters Angeal and Genesis still kept being present on my mind._

_And one day, I came across two songs that just 'hit me' as such 'epic matches' to their story. And this is the first one._

_Well, maybe you need to ignore the first line, because of the words "scars on your wrist". They don't really fit. (Scars on wrists make me think more of my OC from "Final Fiction"...This little story was actually a 'deleted scene' from "Ties of Fate"; I just rewrote tiny parts so it matched the song even more…)_

_And I recommend you listen to the song (e.g. on youtube)._

_**Time/****Setting: **This is the night before Angeal and Genesis leave Banora to join the Shinra Army. As the age at entry of the Shinra Army is quite low (checked with Cloud and Zack), it would make them around 13 or 14 years old._

_So this is not a love story (like "Ties of Fate"), more a story of friendship, trust, responsibility and loyalty; but it still points out the deep feelings and the strong bonds connecting both protagonists._

_**Disclaimer: **As usual,the characters and the background belong to Square Enix. I just took the liberty to play around with them. Still, my writing is purely fan-made; I get no material profit out of it whatsoever._

_Or to put it in the well-known shape: They own the neighbourhood; I'm just playing in the backyard._

_The lyrics are from a song called "The Last Night" by Skillet. All rights for song and lyrics are therefore with their rightful owners._

* * *

With a sigh, Angeal looked at his bag on the floor. Everything was packed and ready to go. His eyes wandered through the small room, over the floor and to the window. The night outside was black, only faintly illuminated by a pale crescent moon.

He took another deep breath before he lay down on his bed and closed his eyes for a second. This was going to be the last night he would spend in his own room, in his own bed. The last night for a very long time, maybe forever?

The thoughts kept racing in his head, not making any sense at all. But there was little to make sense of, as he had no idea what would expect him once he arrived in Midgar. Yet at the same time, he had wanted to take this step. He had even counted down the days.

_But I never imagined that would turn out like this__… I never wanted to go all on my own._

His hazel coloured eyes flipped open again and scanned the room. Most of his belongings were safely tugged away in the bag already, not that he had much to take with him anyway.

Still, there was a stabbing pain in his chest. He knew he would miss his mother (but he was grown up enough not to admit that), he would miss the small village of Banora with the crooked apple trees and the green meadows.

And the pain increased to a burning sensation when thought of the one person he would miss most of all. His best friend. Genesis.

Originally, they had planned to leave together. Ever since their childhood, they had wanted to become SOLDIERs in the Shinra Army.

Genesis had been quite doubtful about it in the very beginning.

"It's not that I don't want to, but I'm afraid I'm not much of a fighter…"

"Awww, come on! You are just too damned pessimistic sometimes. And besides, there is nothing that can't be learned if you just train hard enough."

And during all the passed years they had trained together, they had stuck to their dream.

About a week ago, Genesis' parents had suddenly decided that they did not want their son to leave the village. They claimed he was much too young to make a decision like that.

Angeal could not help but to wonder why all of a sudden they seemed to care. During all the years of their friendship, he and Genesis had become inseparable, being more like brothers than friends. Still, they had spent most of their time playing outside or at Angeal's house. He could hardly recall the few times they had been on the Rhapsodos estate.

Normally, Genesis' parents seemed to forget about the fact that they had a son. Genesis never needed to be home at a certain time or to inform his parents where he was going. Sometimes Angeal had seriously asked himself if they would even realize (or care at all) if their son went missing.

The other thing that was weighing heavily on his mind was the fact that he had not had the chance to tell his best friend goodbye. He had not even see Genesis for almost a week now. Just a few days, and he already missed him so terribly. It hurt as if a limb of his own body had been cut off. Angeal had never felt so incomplete in his whole life.

And for the first time, he thought about staying, even if that meant he would never be able to fulfil his lifelong dream.

A gentle knock at his window broke the chain of thoughts. Angeal sat up with a single fast movement. His eyes moved over to the window, and much to his surprise, he could make out a well known face in the dim light. That discovery made him jump up and hurry over to the window.

"Gen, what are you doing here? I thought your parents had you grounded?"

"They had indeed. But that never stopped me before, did it?"

With a few skilled movements, Genesis managed to get up to the window sill and to climb into the room. Almost automatically, Angeal reached out to help him. But when he touched his arm, his friend flinched.

**_You come to me with__ scars on your wrist  
You tell me this will be the last night feeling like this _**

"What is it?"

"Nothing. Just a little accident. Stairs, you know?"

_Why are you still lying to me? __After all these years? Do you really think I could not tell? There are not that many stairs at your home that someone could fall down…_

But for some reason, Angeal just never managed to speak those words out loud. They were standing face to face now.

_  
__"**I just came to say goodbye  
I didn't want you to see me cry, I'm fine."  
But I know it's a lie **_

"I just could not imagine letting you go without seeing you one last time", Genesis said with a low voice that told volumes about the fact that was trying hard to fight the tears.

And suddenly, Angeal felt a rush going through his blood like a giant wave. Right now, he could see crystal clear that there was just one way to do the right thing.

He reached out for his friend's hand, and when Genesis looked at him in sheer surprise, he said with all the sincerity he had found in his heart: "Well, there has been a change of plans: I'm not leaving you. I'm going with you, or not at all."

**_This is the last night you'll spend alone  
Look me in the eyes so I know you know  
I'm everywhere you want me to be  
The last night you'll spend alone  
I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go  
I'm everything you need me to be _**

Genesis looked at him with wide open eyes.

"But… your dream?"

"It's our dream, Genesis. And there is still enough time to make up your mind and come with me."

"I… I … just can't." Genesis replied with an almost breaking voice. He lowered his gaze and avoided to look at his friend.

"That's not true. You can, if you want. What are you worried about? Your parents? You don't need their permission to join the Shinra Army, you know. And it's not like they ever cared about you before."

**_Your parents say everything is your fault  
But they don't know you like I know you, they don't know you at all _**

Genesis seemed to move those words back and force in his mind. The tiny movements in his face and the empty expression of his light green eyes showed his inner conflict openly, if one was able to read him as well as Angeal could.

**"_I'm so sick of when they say  
It's just a phase, you'll be o.k., you're fine.  
But I know it's a lie"_**

"You are right." Genesis finally whispered. "It's not like they are going to miss me anyway… And I sure as hell won't miss them."

"It's your decision. What do you reckon?"

**_This is the last night you'll spend alone  
Look me in the eyes so I know you know  
I'm everywhere you want me to be  
The last night you'll spend alone  
I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go  
I'm everything you need me to be _**

Suddenly aware of the fact that they were still holding hands, Genesis answered first with a decided squeeze of the hand and than with a firm: "Ok."

When their eyes met again, Angeal was happy to see that the usual fire had returned to his friend's glance. Good. He had not liked the blankness that filled it before.

**_The last night away from me…_**

"'Ok', meaning what?"

"Meaning 'Ok, I'm coming with you.'" He tried a smile. "After all, I could never stand to be separated from you."

Angeal flashed him a bright smile back.

"And I could not imagine spending a single day without your constant nagging and protesting. Would have been pretty boring."

Normally, he would have been in for a friendly punch in his side, but Genesis' mood was still slightly depressed.

Angeal suddenly had an idea.

"Come on!"

Together, they climbed out of the window again. Seconds later, they stood next to the large apple tree in the garden.

_**The night is so long when everything's wrong  
If you give me a chance  
I will help you hold on  
Tonight**  
_

Angeal pointed towards the stem. Despite the fact that the only light source was the pale moon up in the sky, Genesis still saw what his friend wanted him to see.

Carved in the wood were their initials. AH and GR, surrounded by a shape that reminded of a horizontal eight. The sign for eternity.

"Do you remember when we did this?"

"Of course I do, it was only last week. On the very same evening, my parents told me they would not allow me to come to Midgar with you."

"And can you also recall what I told you?"

With these words, Angeal held up his right hand. Even if the moonlight was getting weaker, it still revealed the small, barely healed cut on the palm.

Without an answer, Genesis raised his left hand, showing the matching cut.

_A promise, sealed with blood._

"I promised you that I would never leave you, never let you down. That you will never fall, not even stumble as long as I'm around. I repeat that promise now. And I swear that no one will ever hurt you again, as long as I live."

Genesis eyes appeared wet, for the first time that night. He still fought back the tears and replied with a surprisingly firm voice: "And I promised that I would never leave your side. That I would give my life for you if necessary. No matter how dark your path will get, I will always stand behind you. I swear."

They looked into each others eyes, thunderstruck by the emotional bond that tied them together. In this very moment, the planet could have stopped turning and they would not have realized or cared about it.

"Friends forever."

"Forever friends."

_**I won't let you say goodbye  
And I'll be your reason why** _

"I guess I'll go back home now. Not that I could sleep, but I need to pack a few things. I might even write a note to my parents…"

"Ok. Let's meet at the junction outside the village, at 6 in the morning."

"I'll be there."

Angeal followed with his eyes while Genesis made his way through the dark night. He felt incredibly happy and finally at ease._  
_

**_The last night away from me  
Away from me__…_**

The rising sun painted the sky in amazing colours – yellow, orange and pink. The morning air was still crisp and cold when the two friends met at the road junction outside Banora.

This moment needed no words, they just smiled at each other.

And without a last glance back, they started walking away from the village. Together.


End file.
